


Advent Shopping

by bunnysworld



Series: Have a Camelot Christmas 2019 [20]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Shopping, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:36:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21869896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Arthur doesn't like the crowds
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Have a Camelot Christmas 2019 [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558780
Comments: 2
Kudos: 86





	Advent Shopping

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta'd.
> 
> Have a Camelot Christmas 2019!
> 
> Day 20

Arthur took a deep breath. He hated Christmas shopping and only came along because Merlin had basically begged him. He wanted to spend time with his boyfriend, but the crowds made him feel claustrophobic and the noise did the rest, so after a while, he just wanted to leave. 

Merlin was still looking at things and seemed to have degraded him to shopping-bag-holder and stuff-carrier and obviously had forgotten about him altogether at some point. If one more person squeezed themselves by, thereby crashing into the many bags he was holding, Arthur would scream. He felt his heartbeat speeding up and closed his eyes to calm down. That only made it worse as his ears desperately tried to detect the next impact before it happened. 

"Hey, Arthur, let's go into that store over there. I want to find something nice for my mom. And then we can go to the little Christmas market that's just around the corner and have a warm drink if you want to." Merlin beamed but then the smile slid off his face. "Arthur?"

"What? Yeah, alright. Anything you want." He could do this. He would do it for Merlin, who had been looking forward to this for weeks. He tried to ignore the droplets of sweat that started running down the side of his face despite the cold.

Merlin shook his head, grabbed him by the sleeve and manouvered him through the crowd until they had reached a little park off the side of the main shopping street, where he pushed him onto a park bench. "Wait here."

Arthur looked after him. That was probably the best idea. Merlin had parked him here on the bench and would pick him up again when he was done with his shopping. This way, he wouldn't have to stand in the way and deal with too many people. Slowly, he calmed down a bit. 

About five minutes later, Merlin came back with two mugs, one of which he held out to Arthur. 

"Merlin, I don't think it's a good idea for me to have mulled wine now." They both knew that alcohol would only enhance his near-panic attack. 

"That's why this is herbal tea. Drink." Merlin sat down next to him and nudged him. "Why didn't you say something?"

Arthur shrugged. "You were so happy hunting for bargains, I didn't want to spoil your fun."

"I can't have fun when you feel so bad."

"But you're not done with your shopping. Leave me here, come back when you are done and I'll buy you a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant." Arthur suggested.

Merlin shook his head. "How about when you finished your tea - and take your time - we call a taxi that'll take us home and on the way, we call for sushi or burgers or whatever you want?"

"Really?"

"Really."

"But what about your shopping?" Arthur was relieved, but he didn't want to destroy this day for Merlin completely. 

"I already know what I want to get for everyone. I can do the rest of my shopping online."

Arthur smiled. "And you get to pick the movie we're watching later."


End file.
